Category: Woman to Woman

The snow is so beautiful this morning as the sun begins to rise. My kids love to play in it and I love to enjoy it from a distance with a nice cup of coffee and a warm blanket.

I remember the days when I loved to make snow angels, snowmen, snowballs, and any other kind of snow things as long as I was in it, but now I don’t even want to go outside when it’s on the ground. It is funny how we change as we grow, not just on the outside but also on the inside. Yesterday my daughter shared with me three things she wants to be when she grows up and I remembered myself at her age sharing what I wanted to be. Now, all grown up, I didn’t become any of them, because I changed as I grew. Growing is such an important part of our life cycle, not only physically but also mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It is important to be healthy in all these areas of our life and part of being healthy is growth, but our spiritual growth is the most important because it affects us physically, mentally, and emotionally. How we think, feel, and look will change as we grow in Christ.  I know this may sound crazy but it is true. Examine your own life and see if it’s not true for yourself. “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” 1 Peter 2:2. If you haven’t changed then you haven’t grown. It is important for us to grow and change to become more Christ-like (Philippians 2:1-8). I was looking at a person’s Facebook page the other day, they wrote something that made me curious about their faith. I became very confused when I found that they proclaimed Jesus, but at the same time had pornography posted everywhere on their page. It makes me sad to know that there are people who really don’t understand what it means to know God, who have said a prayer, but never change or grow. If you haven’t grown or changed since you said your prayer, please take a moment to open your heart, receive all that God has for you in a relationship with Him, and allow some beautiful changes to take place in your life.

Sharon Hoskins

I have always had a lot of respect and admiration for the real cowgirls. I see them as brave and strong, willing to step into the unknown and be adventurous. I think if I had an alter ego, she would be a cowgirl. Cowgirls are not wimpy, squeamish, or afraid to get dirty. Horses are hard work, but a cowgirl doesn’t notice because she loves it.

I have ridden a horse but I am NOT a cowgirl; there is a difference. If I compare myself to a cowgirl, I would have to say that the closest I could get to being one would be my Christian walk. I think spiritually we have to be like cowgirls. Being a Christian is not an easy life, but we don’t notice because we love it. We have to be brave and strong, willing to step into the unknown with God as He makes changes in our life. Even if we are a little wimpy or squeamish, God gives us the courage to move forward in spite of our fear. Being a Christian is an adventure when we allow God to guide our path. He will lead us down trails that we can’t see around the bend, through waters that we can’t tell how deep, and over mountainous terrain that we can’t determine how high we’re going. “The Lord is my light and my salvation; who shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1. This scripture says it all. I guess I can pretend that I am a cowgirl spiritually and enjoy the exciting adventure of living my life with Christ.

Sharon Hoskins